Who's on third (line)?

It's interesting that Marty Havlat skated on the third line at practice Tuesday with Dave Bolland and Andrew Ladd.
Are the Hawks preparing for life after Havlat? Maybe. There are rumors out there that Havlat might be the guy GM Dale Tallon tries to move to create cap space. Havlat makes $6 million and is an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Do the Hawks need Havlat to make the playoffs? Not of they think of him as a third-liner. Besides, if they are able to trade him Tallon could turn around and use that cash on a top-six forward or a defenseman, or both.
More and more, this is looking like the way to solve the cap problem - as long as Tallon can find a team that wants Havlat and as long as Havlat stays healthy.
The lines at practice Tuesday were:
22-10-88
32-19-33
16-36-24
55-46-28
Larmer fan
The great Steve Larmer will be honored Wednesday night before the Anaheim game on what the Hawks are calling "Heritage Night." There are a few of them planned the rest of the year.
In my 20-plus years covering the team there isn't a player I appreciated more than Larmer, whose two-way brilliance was the perfect compliment to linemate Denis Savard.
If Larmer isn't a Hall of Famer, he's darn close.
No Avery fan
The Dallas Stars stink and maybe Sean Avery is the reason why.
Dallas signed Avery to a four-year, $15 million contract as a free agent and all he has been is trouble. Avery was suspended by the NHL indefinitely on Tuesday for making inappropriate comments about Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf and his girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert, who once dated Avery.
Even Mike Modano thinks Avery is a goof. Mike Modano, who is the Dallas Stars!
If the Stars had any guts they'd buy out Avery right now and try to save their season.

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Between the Circles

Total Posts: 806

Tim Sassone, who was nominated for the Hockey Hall of Fame's Elmer Ferguson award in 2007, has covered the Blackhawks and the NHL since 1988 for the Daily Herald.

Tim grew up in the Chicago area and was a regular in the second balcony at the Chicago Stadium, which he still considers the greatest building for hockey.

He is a regular contributor to The Hockey News and still has a soft spot in his heart for former Hawks defenseman Dave Manson.